Led by 22-year-old flanker Sam Warburton, Wales’ young guns have excelled in New Zealand, with No.8 Toby Faletau, 20, giant winger George North, 19, and Dan Lydiate, 23, all impressing as Warren Gatland’s men qualified second from Pool D.

Ireland have been equally impressive, defeating Australia en-route to topping their group and setting up a clash between the two RBS 6 Nations contenders in Wellington.

But after failing to deliver on the greatest stage to date, prop Jones insists Wales’ new crop posses the talent and the mental strength to break new ground down under.

“They are excellent players,” he said. “I don't think I have ever seen a man of George North's size do what he does.

“He is fast and has footwork like Shane [Williams] in a slightly larger body. And the captain (Warburton) is outstanding.

“We also have Dan Lydiate to come back in, another young kid — so it's looking good, a case of hanging on in there now.

“It's like going back to when I first came into the squad with all the young boys who were there, then — the likes of Dwayne Peel, Gethin Jenkins, myself, Ceri Sweeney. Perhaps they're not as overawed as we were back then.

“It's fantastic. They probably think that international rugby is easy.”

With Scotland and Italy already heading home and France and England struggling on and off the pitch, Ireland and Wales have been the most impressive of the northern hemisphere contingent.

And after seeing Ireland defeat pre-World Cup favourites Australia during the group stages, Jones admits there’ll be no margin for error when the two collide.

“I think it'll be a Six Nations dogfight played in New Zealand,” said Jones.

“They are going to come at us like they went at Australia, and we will have to match what they bring.

“That's the best they have played for a while, since the game with England at the end of last season's Six Nations.

“If we get them on a day like that, we know how hard it's going to be.

“It'll be a case of fronting up, something we seem to be doing in this tournament.”